Winning start in Allianz League for Galway Footballers at Tuam Stadium

Mountbellew/Moylough County Under 21 Football Champions

GAA Allianz Football League launched at Croke Park

Finian Hanley received a special presentation from Salthill-Knocknacarra GAA Club to mark his retirement from the Galway senior football team following a fantastic career. Ben Kelly and Tim O’Connell, Finian’s first two coaches, made the presentation. A special thanks to Davitt Photo Centre, Salthill, for doing such a fantastic job on the jersey, photos and frame.

Liam Mellows supporters 3 year old Kirsten Fahy daughter of Liam Mellows player David Fay and 2 year old Kyle Hastings son of Liam Mellows player Jack Hastings before the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Final match between Liam Mellows and Cuala at Semple Stadium in Thurles. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Corofin’s Michael Lundy and Moorefield's James Murrayare pictured ahead of the AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Club Championship Semi-Final taking place at O’Connor Park on Saturday, 17th of February. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Galway 1-13 Mayo 0-11

Shane Walsh of Galway in action against Jason Doherty of Mayo during the Allianz Football League Division 1 Round 3 match between Galway and Mayo at Pearse Stadium. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile Read More

All-Ireland club hurling champions Cuala are back in the finalafter Mattie Kenny’s side accounted for Galway’s Liam Mellows in Thurles. CLICK HERE

Magnificent Minors are deserving winners of last Under 18 Hurling Final

The appetiser before the main meal was seriously tasty as Galway edged out Cork in today’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling Final.

The young Tribesmen came into the game as underdogs but they hurled their hearts out to record a brilliant victory.

Cork had a big billing after an impressive run to the Final and their undoubted class was plain for all to see, but Galway matched them for pure skill.

But in the final reckoning it was pure hard graft that probably won them this match, because the doggedness of their tackling, hooking, and blocking was of the very highest calibre.

They showed impressive mental strength too because they shipped some heavy blows in the first half but their resolve never wavered.

Cork scored their first goal of the match straight from the throw-in as Brian Turnbull hit a ground-stroke to the back of the net after just six seconds.

And when his fellow corner-forward Evan Sheehan cracked home a brilliant second goal from a tight angle to put Cork 2-3 to 0-3 ahead after 13 minutes, it looked like the game would go like most predicted it would.

But Galway hadn’t read that script. They dug in, defended with great tenacity, and began slowing the quantity and quality of ball making its way into Turnbull and Sheehan.

At the other end of the field the strapping Sean Bleahene was starting to make his presence felt and a couple of points from him and some sure free-taking from Conor Molloy had reduced the gap to just three points at the break – 2-7 to 0-10 in Cork’s favour.

Galway’s star man Jack Canning had been well marshalled in the first-half by Cork captain Sean O’Leary Hayes, but he exploded into life in the second-half and provided Galway with the impetus to win the game.

He bore more than a passing resemblance to his uncle Joe when he smashed home two brilliant goals to the roof of the Cork net in the first ten minutes of the second-half to turn the contest on its head.

The confidence seemed to drain from the young Cork hurlers, and they struggled to find an adequate response in the face of some brilliantly aggressive Galway defending.

Canning and Bleahane were now bullying the Cork full-back line and two more points from the deadly duo pushed Galway 2-16 to 2-11 ahead.

Credit to Cork, they came with a late charge that ensured the game went right down to the wire.

Two points from the brilliant Turnbull sandwiched one from Robert Downey to reduce the gap to two points with five minutes to go.

Craig Hanafin had a half-chance to score a goal for Cork after a powerful run and smart pass from classy centre-forward Liam O’Shea, but he couldn’t get his shot off and was then suffocated by the scrambling Galway defence.

Try as they might Cork just couldn’t make any more inroads into Galway’s lead, and that was thanks largely to some truly inspirational blocking and tackling by Jeffrey Lynskey’s young charges.

When the final whistle blew Croke Park erupted as the Galway supporters hailed the perfect start to their afternoon.

It wasn’t Cork’s day, but many of their players clearly have very bright futures despite this result.